Many types of termites are soil dwellers (i.e., subterranean termites) and exist in large colonies that can contain several million termites. Members of the colony forage for food and burrow galleries or passageways in the soil outwardly from the colony or nest, and portions of food located by foraging termites are returned to the nest. Termites can be very destructive because of their voracious appetites, especially for wood or other cellulosic materials. The ability of termites to cause considerable damage is in part due to the fact that the termites and external signs of damage is in part due to the fact that the termites are typically not seen until termite infestation is at a relatively advanced stage. Termites are difficult to detect and control because they are cryptic creatures that usually cause damage to the interiors of wooden structures, or otherwise in places that are not readily observable.
Traditional methods for controlling pests, such as termites, include preventive measures, such as pre-treatment of new construction sites with pesticidal agents to prevent subsequent infestation by pests. A more recent development in termite control technology pertains to the use of a termite bait matrix containing a relatively small amount of pesticide, such as a termiticide. In general, such methods and apparatus are directed to controlling pests once they have been detected as a result of a monitoring procedure. After detection, the pests are controlled by inducing the pests to ingest or otherwise come into contact with a toxicant in a bait matrix which is attractive to pests, particularly pests from a specified nest or colony.
Termite baiting systems provide significant advantages over traditional methods of controlling termites. Significantly, efficacious termite baiting systems typically require dramatically lower amounts of pesticide to control or eliminate termite infestation and may reduce the risk of pesticide exposure to non-target species and the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,625 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) discloses a termite baiting system. The termite baiting system disclosed in this patent includes a housing having openings sized to permit pests to pass through the openings so that pests can gain access to the interior of the housing from a location outside the housing. The station also comprises first and second devices adapted to be removably disposed within the housing in stacked relationship, wherein each of the first and second devices is either a pest-monitoring device or a pest-baiting device. The station further comprises a first extractor means adapted to be received in a channel defined within the housing. The housing is made from two half-cylindrical portions that snap together. The housing is typically used for in-ground applications; i.e., at least partially buried under ground.
In order to install the bait station disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,625 for below grade applications, a hole must be formed in the soil. U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,658 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) discloses such holes as being approximately two inches in diameter and about fourteen inches deep and being formed with a drill and bit. The patent also discloses an apparatus for removing grass from an area around the hole for a termite bait station. This patent is disclosed as being useful with the Sentricon System bait station manufactured by Dow Elanco.
These prior art termite bait stations are not entirely desirable because they have multiple parts, which complicate assembly of the apparatus. Loss or breakage of these parts is also a problem. Furthermore, such prior art bait stations are relatively easy to pull out of the ground, thereby posing a hazard to small children. Additionally, these prior art termite bait stations are relatively difficult to install and require additional tools to properly install such apparatus below grade.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an insect bait station that is relatively simple to install below grade and has few parts to break or lose. There is also a need in the art for an insect bait station that is relatively easy to install below grade and is relatively difficult to remove from the soil without a special tool designed for use with the bait station. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for an insect bait station that reduces the possibilities of human exposure to toxicants and/or toxic baits. Finally, there is a need for an automated system to record data about the location of installed insect bait stations and data regarding periodic inspection of those installed bait stations.